Blackouts were once associated with alcoholism but can happen when a person drinks a lot of alcohol too fast. Blackouts cause long-term damage. High levels of alcohol impair the part of the brain that forms new memories. A blackout is characterized by amnesia during intoxication. A person does not forget what happened when he or she has a blackout because the memories never existed.
Long-Term Health Damages
When a person passes out, he or she loses consciousness and cannot wake up. Alcohol-poisoning can cause a person to pass out or blackout. Passing out and blackouts result in negative consequences, but blackouts cause long-term damage.
Not everyone who drinks rapidly and excessively will have a blackout. Some people are more susceptible to alcohol-induced memory impairment. Many people with alcoholism experience blackouts in the early part of addiction. Alcohol poisoning and blackouts are very harmful and lead to serious mental and physical impairment.
If a person experiences a blackout once, he or she is at risk of having more blackouts. Most people who consume large amounts of alcohol will develop memory problems and brain damage. A person can have a genetic predisposition to blackouts. His or her family members might have trouble with alcohol or alcoholism.
What Happens During a Blackout?
During a blackout, the memory storage process shuts down. Blackouts are caused by a chemical disruption in the brain’s hippocampus, which is where memories are developed. Alcohol interferes with the receptors that carry signals to that part of the brain and disrupts the memory-making process. A person who experiences a blackout can still have the ability to maintain language and motor skills, but his or her brain loses the capability to form new memories.
Blackouts are dangerous because when a person is drunk, he or she is at risk of making poor decisions such as driving or having unprotected sex. Over time, heavy drinking can damage vital organs. Excessive drinking can cause liver failure, a heart attack, and severe brain damage.
If you or someone you know experienced an alcohol-induced blackout, get help before the problem becomes an addiction. Recovery is possible. Cypress Lake Recovery is committed to their clients’ physical, mental, and physiological health, and offers treatment for addiction and addictive behaviors.
Cypress Lake Recovery offers treatment for substance addiction, addictive behavior, and mental health conditions in a serene, natural, oxygen-rich, lush green environment. The program encompasses holistic addiction therapy for the mind, body, and soul. The focus is on physical, mental, and emotional well-being by generating the balance of life-enriching treatment, wellness, and healthy sober relationships that are sustainable. Call us to get started: 409-331-2204
